Author : Sandra Newman
Publisher : Particular Books
ISBN 13 : 9780141044521
Total Pages : 304 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (445 download)
Book Synopsis The Western Lit Survival Kit by : Sandra Newman
Download or read book The Western Lit Survival Kit written by Sandra Newman and published by Particular Books. This book was released on 2012 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There they sit, the great tomes of classical literature, taunting you with their length and difficulty, as you ask: which books are the most important and why - and what's actually any good? Why does most writing about the classics have words like 'seminal' or 'oeuvre' in it? What does postmodernism mean? Can I get away with just reading the introduction? Now you can enjoy the classics without fear. This survival kit will guide you painlessly through the Western literary canon, century by century: from Ancient Greek drama to the modern novel, via Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Romantic poetry, Tolstoy and Proust. There are entertaining plot summaries, unpretentious definitions of literary movements and fresh insights into authors' lives. With each work assigned ratings from 1 to 10 on Importance, Accessibility and Fun, you'll discover what's really worth bothering with and what you can safely discard without guilt. This book will make the things you've read clearer, inspire you to tackle the ones you've always meant to and make you sound far cleverer than you really are. Praise for How not to write a novel 'Heavens, what a joy this book is . . . extremely funny.' Lynne Truss, Sunday Times 'A hilarious, wickedly observed and deeply useful guide.' Kate Saunders, Observer